Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1887-12-02

should find Hippolyte ON my return. made
ray way towards the Faubourg St Honore
With some misgivings, but resolved 10 see
Miss Whipple and warn her against her be-
quilting fee.
was ushered into a very somber and mag
nifcent apartment, neutral in tints Of fur
nishing and breathing antiquity and gloom.
The mantel was high, and black and carved.
fanked 10y tall urns, funereal enough in as
poet to have contained the ashes Of all the
Choisys The folds Of the portieres brought
TO my mind those spongy forests of Hugo's,
which, upon the slightest pressure, expressed
bloodthirsty villains There was gloom. too,
in the sullen looking CRATE, whence the ashes
had not been removed and in the very par
queterie and walls, dim with submerged
frescoing SO that the chatter Of small heels
on the stairs came cheerfully TO announce
Miss Whipple.
She entered, dressed in the palest Of azure
gowns. family laced with silver Her long,
fair hair. tied with bit Of ribbon. was gath
cred at her neck, and fell agai loosely in a
shower below her waist. IL was surprising
how the room took on color and tone at her
advent The curtains were shaken out, and
declared their innocence. A servant soor
had heap Of anthracite in the crate, whic1
reflected it's r1iddiness in mirrors and polished
floors. Birds burst into song from undiscov.
cred corners, and an odor of Indian perfumes
fioated from Miss Whipples dress.
A visiting card, inscribed m. HipPolyte
Bonnetheau." lay on "A table, toward which
she waved her hand
"Your friend, NJ Bonnetheau. was here
last evening she said, smiling. ut was my
guardian who received him"
And YOU did not himT inquired.
"I-yes, for a moment, at my guardian
request"
Then you do not approve Of himr
She Strengthened herself, with touch Of
hauteur He has been misepresented
take nothing upon hearSay, m'sieur. he has
beautiful theory Of religion she added,
that of NJ. Comte."
All" | exclaimed ironically
YES" she continued, and ht assures me
that the principles Of Altruism result in the
highest good 20 all who practice them do
not doubt it, and yet, IL seems to me-do you
believe that Comte never cared about being
happyr
No | believe he craved II and sought IL, IN
his way, as violently Bonnetbeau seeks
pleasure in his Only, Comics happiness
| consisted in being the promulgator-he had
an intense personal calculation in that-of
new philosophy, while Bonnetheau's is com
prised-well, he has programme of his own.
But Us for Hippolytes talk ON this subject, |
assure you, it is all frippery. He does not
believe a word Of IL himself. and although be
has done you no harm a. yet, pardon me- but
be will do Yea "a great deal, If you continue
| TO listen to him"
"Why does overy one accuse VI. Bonnetheau
Of insincerityC she demanded, Indignantly.
| 4 II 4. l. l.
"Ah, do not doubt it, ma IN selle, but la sure
assured that the feelings which he really has
are not those which he shows That is the
difficulty in cumprehending Hippolyte
Miss Whipple sighed, and changed the sui
| ject- but | could 80, upon taking leave OF
her, that had removed none Of the fascina-
ton which Bonnetheau had exercised upon
her He had such a marvellous way Of max
ing people believe him, notwithstanding
their approval Of him was founded upon
doubt.
| Approaching our apartment that night, |
perceived. by unmistakable sounds proved
| ing thence, that a carousal was in progress.
pushed my way through the uproar, disre-
| garded by Bonnetheau. and throwing up h
window in the farthest room, leaned into the
plrer air.
| | ga2ed into the street hollow. Turmoil
there, too. A jangle Of instruments came
from over the way. and the tread Of dancing
| feet. There were broilS. affair" and strenu-
| Gus voices. glanced above, and beheld the
awful regarding silence Of the sky, stre~n
thick with stars. The popping Of corks
| within continued. and the confined odor ~
smoke and wines sickened me- until, az last,
the thunder in the streets declined, the
| laughter in the adjoining rooms subsidized
the shouts lapsed into unintelligible mutter
tngs. Bonnetheau and his companions were
sinking into oblivion, and "A faint era
suffused the windows. | walked 70 the door
and looked in. Hippolyte sat at table, his
head on his arm, one hand clasIed about 3:
| shivered goblet, where IL had fallen His
linen was stained and there was an ooze f
wine about his lips. The color in his checks
was high and steady. his irresolute mouth
was parted blankly. ! could have wept over
my Jerusalem. thus fallen for the hundredth
time. Alas poor Hippolyte' He moved
| slightly. and brushed the fragments Of glass
to the floor with his hand. / saw the blood
start from his fingers and went TO bind them
up As | stopped 70 wind the linen about
them. | heard him mu:ter Miss Whipple
name.
Poor fool! He was never farther from hcr
than at that moment.
Six months ran around, and again / was
seated in the somber salon Of Choisy. Miss
Whipple was looking mcClitatiyely at the
floor, and presently gave me the result Of
her thoughts Il shall never believe IN VI
Bonnetheau again
"Ah, he is not 50 bad as he seems" de
clared, wondering how he had contrived &c
make faux pas.
ale reminds me Of Lucifer," she contin
ued Il believed Hippolyte would be pleased
with the compliment, and resolved to tel
him of it, Because" she explained, "ht
seems 20 have fallen from great height. HC
cannot always have been so low, and yet h.
is prouder than Lucifer, for be never men
tons his former state. 1t is only vulgar PEG
pie who proclaim what they have been, Ol
what they have had in the past NJ Bonnie
theau is not vulgar. Once he asked me-
here she examined the tilagree on her wris
attentively-'if"-
Good heavens, ma'm'selle, what did h
ask you"
She smiled and bushed profuscly. ave
have provincial expression in America; w
say he proposed TO me"
And you, ma m sclle,n seized the legs O
my chair, "what reply did you maker'
II said had no faith i'll him, and that
must have unbounded confidence in tn,
principles Of the man to whom ! intrustec
my life"
"And probably you have no faith in an!
g..